John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1051. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the concerns among students sitting the Leaving Certificate in 2025 regarding the impact of grade inflation from previous years on CAO competition; his views on measures such as ring-fencing places or adjusting grade calculations to ensure fairness for all applicants; and the steps being taken to support equity in the third-level admissions process. [17387/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I understand that the Leaving Certificate can be a stressful time for students and their families. This includes the decisions for students in determining their pathways into work or continued education through the Further Education and Training or Higher Education systems.

My Department has been working tirelessly with the higher education and further education sectors to provide increased opportunities and pathways, helping to reduce pressure and open doors to a bright future. I am committed to supporting students, as evidenced by the creation of additional places in high-demand courses such as medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and others. This year will see the commencement of new programmes in dentistry and pharmacy, as well as the further expansion of existing programmes in medicine, physiotherapy and pharmacy. Engagements are ongoing regarding further expansion for 2025 and beyond. Additionally, new veterinary programmes are being established in Atlantic Technological University and South East Technological University. At full rollout, it is expected that these programmes will have an annual intake of 80 veterinary medicine students, nearly doubling the current intake. These programmes are expected to commence in September 2026.

I am also continuing to expand pathways into higher education through Tertiary programmes, part-time supports and new apprenticeships. This will reduce the stress of the “points race” and CAO application process for thousands of students across the country.

My officials are continuing to engage with colleagues in the Department of Education and State Exams Commission on this matter. I am supportive of my Cabinet colleague Minister McEntee and her officials as they commence the phased and gradual return to normal Leaving Certificate outcomes that will begin in 2025. It is widely recognised that it is appropriate to return over time to normal arrangements for Leaving Certificate outcomes in line with the announcement made by the Minister for Education last year (17 April 2024), that the return to normal Leaving Certificate outcomes would begin in 2025.

It is my understanding that this is being done gradually in line with the commitment that there would be no “cliff edge” in overall results so as to minimise, in so far as possible, the impact on students. I am aware that the State Examinations Commission (SEC) will again apply a post-marking adjustment after all marking is complete, which, this year, will bring results in the aggregate to a point broadly midway between 2020 and 2021 levels. The Department of Education and State Exams Commission will review the process for the following year. The examinations and assessment adjustments that have applied in recent years continue to apply for students in 2025.

While there have been suggestions for different approaches regarding CAO applicants with prior years' results, the principle remains that each year's Leaving Certificate stands on its own merits. This ensures fairness and consistency for all students. This as been previously adjudicated by the High Court.

The CAO and Higher Education Institutions are working to address any challenges and respond to student demand, ensuring that students have access to the opportunities they deserve. The gradual return to normal results is seen as the fairest approach, similar to methods used in other jurisdictions like Northern Ireland.